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while.
    “I didn’t. Honestly.”
    “All right.”
    “I think Kim Mannon fancies you,” Morven said, checking his face in the gloom of the taxi to gauge his reaction.
    “I doubt it. Women like that are always taken by a new diversion on the horizon. She’s bored with her Reggie for the time being. Perhaps she wants a pilot for her list. She can count this one out.”
    “I think you’re wrong about her.”
    “Oh yes?”
    “You didn’t see her face when Reggie made his stupid remark. If looks could kill, he’d be bourguignon.”
    “As long as I didn’t have to eat him.”
    They laughed again.
    The big, first-floor flat in Elgin Avenue had three bedrooms, and was very comfortably furnished. Morven and Mark had taken a guest bedroom each, leaving the owners’ master bedroom untouched.
    Morven said as they entered: “I’m doing some shopping with Tricia in the morning, so I’ll catch the15:40 plane back to Aberdeen. You don’t have to get up. Have a lie-in, and I’ll see you by midday at the very latest.”
    “Do you need to go back? It’s …” he glanced at his watch. “… Friday now. Why not spend the weekend? Penny and Anthony won’t be back for another week. We’ve got the place to ourselves.”
    “I’d love to, Mark,” she said regretfully, “but I shouldn’t even have come. I’ve got a paper I’m supposed to be working on. If you want your little sister to become a famous marine biologist, she’s got to keep at her work.” She gave him a hug. “But I wanted to see you. What with me being at university up in Scotland, and you always on some training program or other, we never get to see each other.”
    Which was certainly true. Within the past six months, they had met just once. Now she began to feel guilty.
    “Will you be all right on your own here?” She looked worriedly at him.
    “I’ll be fine. I’ll spend a quiet weekend here, then go off to the squadron on Monday. I’m not flying till the afternoon.”
    “You’re sure?”
    “Of course I’m sure. Now who’s the baby of the family around here?”
    “You could always get in touch with Kim Mannon.” Morven looked at him sideways. “I bet she’d set the weekend alight.”
    “I’d need my head examined.”
    “Oh come on, Mark. She’s not that bad.”
    “She’s worse.”
    “I’m obviously not going to change your mind. Coffee before bed? I can make some.”
    “No thanks. I think I’ll turn straight in. By the way …”
    “Yes?”
    “I meant what I said about blowing my top back there; but when Barham-Deane made that asinine comment about crashing, I couldn’t help thinking about Sammy. I was the one who had to tell Charlotte. I still see her face in the night sometimes.”
    She patted him gently on the arm. “I know, Mark,” she told him softly. “I know.”
    She was a strongly built young woman, with the clear complexion of someone who spends much of her time in the open air. Her dark hair, thick and lustrous, fell well past her shoulders. Her eyes were a luminous green, her face heart-shaped with a firm chin, her forehead high and curving. The nose was strong but the mouth, in complete contrast, looked soft and vulnerable. When she smiled, her eyes seemed to twinkle. In the blue, high-necked ball gown, she was ravishing.
    “Mo,” he now said, “I think you were the belle of the ball tonight. And given the number of Reggie lookalikes who were buzzing around you, a lot of other people thought so too.”
    “I’m your sister. You’ve got to say that.” Butshe was pleased. “Kim Mannon wasn’t exactly a frump, you know.”
    “Unimportant. And how are things with Adrian?”
    “It’s only a student thing. I don’t really want to get involved with anyone at the moment. He serves as a good buffer.”
    “Does he know this?”
    “Oh yes. We’re good friends.”
    “I must meet him.”
    “Oh no. You always scare my boyfriends away.”
    “Any man who really deserved you wouldn’t let himself be